Stencil printer



y 1963 JOHN CHIEN KUENKIANG STENCIL PRINTER Filed June 11, 1962 f 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 22 P 4 INVENTOR.

L 54 20 JOHN CHIEN KUEN KIANG ATTORNEY July 30, 1963 JOHN CHIEN KUEN KIANG 3,099,207

STENCIL PRINTER Filed June 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F 6 r 5 62 l A -:I-7 7 4.4 44 72 7 72 7' 64 76 IP7 r 75% \E INVENTOR.

@Kl M ATTORNEY United States Patent Of 3,099,207 Patented July 30, 1963 ice 3,099,207 STENCIL PRINTER John Chien Kuen Kiang, 918 N. St. Peter St.,

South Bend 17, Ind. Filed June 11, 1962, Ser. No. 201,462 11 Claims. Cl. 101-124 This invention relates to stencil printers, and more particularly to a device employing a stencil and used as a means for printing card. stock for use as postal cards, library cards, record cards and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction, inexpensive, easy to operate, light in weight, and troublefree in operation.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which performs a printing operation expeditiously and rapidly and of uniform high quality, and which is readily operated by inexperienced people to produce high quality results.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which can be set up for use easily and quickly and which can be converted readily for printing different items.

A further object is to provide a device of this character with novel means for regulating the quantity of ink fed to the device for printing purposes.

A further object is to provide a device of this character with a novel spring-urged reciprocating stencil and card carrier normally positioned out of contact with the ink-applying means of the device and normally freely reciprocable without contacting the inloapplying device.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the device illustrating in dotted lines the open position of the card-carrying portion of the device;

FIG. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the device taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the stencil carrier taken on line 55 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the stencil carrier;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectionatl view of the card carrier, as viewed on section line in the position of line 5-5 of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a frame which carries an inking mechanism 12 and a stencil carrier 14 which in turn carries a card carrier 16.

The frame 10 has a base plate 20 of generally H-shape or :overall rectangular outline, corner posts 22 project upwardly from the base plate 20 at the four corners thereof. If desired, pads 24, preferably formed of resilient material, support the plate 20 adjacent its corner. The corner posts at each side of the frame preferably support spaced substantially parallel longitudinal frame bars 26 which preferably are :of angle shape in crosssection and have enlarged end portions 23 defining caps or enclosures for resilient spacer members 30 bearing upon the upper ends of the corner posts 22 and supporting the ends of the frame bars 26. The bars 26 are secured in place by means of securing screws 32 screw-threaded into the corner posts 22, as best seen in FIG. 4. A coil spring 34 encircles each screw 32 and serves to normally urge a yieldable guide bar 36 extending parallel to a frame bar 26 in a normal upper position as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, said guide bar 36 having apertures at each end thereof fitting loosely around the screw 32 to be guided by said screw upon movement thereof relative to the frame 10. a t

The inking mechanism 12 comp-rises a shallow ink container 40 open at its top and prefenably having opposed side walls 42. The container is preferably provided with a flange 44 provided with apertures and receiving a screw-threaded anchoring member 46 whose screwthreaded shank portion is received in a tapped opening in the base plate 20. Each of the side walls 42 has an elongated hollow housing 48- projecting therefrom and enclosing a coil spring 50. .The spring 50 bears against the end of -a shaft 52 which rotates within a longitudinally elongated slot 54 formed in the wall 42. The opposite walls are similarly slotted and the shaft 42 spans the ink container 40 with its opposite ends pressed upon by coil springs 50 to urge said shaft in one direct-ion, that is, toward the left as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 4. The shaft 52 mounts a rubber roller 56 within the ink container 40, said roller preferably being of a diameter such that it does not substantially project above the level of the top edge of the container. An inking roll 58 is mounted on a shaft 60. whose opposite ends are journaled in openings in the ink container side walls 42. The inking roll 58 is of larger diameter than the roller 56, and the roller 56 is normally pressed against the inking roll 58 by the springs 50. The inking roller 58' is so positioned that it projects substantially above the level of the top of the ink container and above the level of the roller 56. Also, the inking roller extends below the llevel of the lower part of the roller 56, all as clearly seen in FIG. 2. In the normal arrangement of the parts, the top :of the inking roller 58 will be spaced a substantial distance below the normal position of the guide bars 36.

The stencil carrier 14, best illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, constitutes a rectangular marginal frame having side flanges 62 which bear upon the guide bars 36 and are normally pressed thereby against the bottom surface of the frame bars 26, as best seen in FIG. 3. Side bars of the stencil carrier are connected by cross-bars 64 to define a rigid rectangular structure. An upwardly projecting flange 66 extends around a portion of the stencil carrier at its sides and its ends. The side flanges 66 normally serve as guides engaging the guide bars 36 to hold the stencil carrier in proper orientation to the frame with its side bars parallel to the frame side bars. Downwardly offset horizontal marginal flanges project inwardly from the flanges 66 and serve as supports for a stencil sheet 70, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The horizontal stencil supporting flanges 68 are preferably interrupted, as best seen in FIG. 6, and at the interruptions are located upwardly offset inwardly projecting stencil retainer flanges 72 whose bottom surfaces are located at an elevation spaced above the top surfaces of the flanges 68 a distance slightly greater than the thickness of a stencil so as to facilitate ready insertion in operative position and removal from operative position of conventional stencil sheets of a character well understood in the art and consisting of coated sheets of paper from which the coating is struck by a typewriter, thereby exposing in the outline of a letter or figure or other character of the typewriter areas of the stencil sheet which are porous or perviou-s to ink.

At one end the stencil carrier 14 has spaced projections 76 extending upwardly therefrom and provided with apertures 78 receiving a pivot pin 80' extending between a pair of spaced lugs 82 projecting downwardly from one end portion 84 of card carrier 16. The card carrier includes a plate portion 86 extending at a lower level than the carrier end portion 84 and which is reinforced at one end by a transverse rib 88. The plate 86 is preferably of a size substantially equal to the size or dimension of the stencil supporting area outlined by the flanges 66, and

at its bottom surface has a rubber pad 90- of a size to fit within the portion of the stencil carrier outlined by the upwardly projecting flange 66, and the stencil retainer flanges 72. The plate 86 has a hand grip 92 preferably elongated and extending longitudinally centrally in upwardly projecting relation from the plate 86. At one end, preferably the end adjacent the pivot pin 80 and the rib 88, is positioned a card retainer in the nature of an elongated metal. angle 94 secured in place by securing screw 96 entering the rib 88 and having an angle leg 98 positioned spaced below the bottom surface of the pad 90, as illustrated in FIG. 7, to receive and retain a card 100 to be printed. In the preferred form the central portion of the angle leg 98 may have lesser clearance with the pad 90 than the end portions thereof. Also, if desired, the angle leg 9% may have marks adjacent opposite ends thereof serving as guides for the centered insertion of cards of different sizes upon the card carrier.

, In the use of the device, when the parts have been assembled in operative relation as illustrated and described, ink will be introduced into the well or container 40 of the inking mechanism to a level adequate to immerse the lower portion of the inking roller 58. If desired, the level to which the ink is introduced may be maintained below the level of the smaller roller 56. A stencil 7t) of a size to fit freely within the upward projecting flanges 66 of the stencil carrier is mounted in said carrier by causing its margins to be supported upon the horizontal flanges 68 and to be retained by the retainer flanges 72. Then the card 100 to be printed is positioned in contact with the bottom surface of the pad 9% by the angle leg 98, for which purpose the card carrier 16 may be swung about its pivot 84 to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1, for purposes of convenience. The length of the frame is at least twice the length of the pad 90 of the card carrier and the stencil carrier 14 is shorter than the frame and the guide bars 36 thereof by a distance shorter than the longitudinal dimension of the pad 90 of the card carrier. The shif-table sub-assembly of the device, consisting of the stencil carrier 14 and the card carrier 16, moves as a unit by reason of the connection of the parts 14 and 16 by the pivot pin 88. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the movable sub-assembly at one end of its stroke, and FIG. 4 illustrates the movable sub-assembly at an intermediate position in its stroke.

Assuming that the inkwell contains ink, that a stencil 76 has been properly mounted in the stencil carrier, and that a card 100 to be printed is mounted in the card carrier, the movable sub-assembly 14, 16 will preferably be first slid from the position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, if that is the position at which it is provided with the card to be printed, toward a position at the opposite end of the frame, namely toward the right as illustrated in FIG. 2. Such movement will preferably occur without downward pressure being exerted on the movable unit, so that the stencil 76* passes clear of the inking roller 53, as best seen in FIG. 2. When the end of the movement of the stencil carrier toward the right is reached and the printing operation is to begin, pressure is applied by the user to the handle 92 for the purpose of lowering the level of the movable unit. Application of downward pressure on the handle 92 serves to depress or lower the guide bars 36 against the action of the springs 34- to such an extent that the stencil 70 is brought into contact with the inking roller 58, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Thereupon, the downward pressure on the handle is continued but coincident therewith is applied a pressure to move the movable sub-assembly 14, 16 along the depressed guide bars 36 so as to cause the bottom face of the stencil to be inked by ink carried by the inking roller 58. 1e downward pressure serves the further purpose of causing the pad 9% to press the card 100 firmly against the top surface of the stencil 70. Consequently, as the depressed sliding of the parts occurs to ink the bottom face of the stencil,

ink will pass through the porous parts of the stencil to contact the card and thereby print the same.

In order to maintain control of the rate at which ink is applied to the inking roller, and in turn from the inking roller to the stencil, it is preferable that the printing operation occur by movement of the movable frame parts in a direction from the roller 56 toward the roller 58 rather than the reverse. This causes a counterclockwise rotation of the inking roller 58, as Viewed in FIG. 2, so that the top ink-bearing surface of said roller will have been subjected to an ink-regulating pressure contact thereof by the roller 56 before the inking roller can contact the stencil.

In the printing operation a single pass of the movable unit while depressed to cause the roller to contact the stencil will be sufficient to print each card. Thus one reciprocation of the movable unit from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the same position on return will be sufiicient to print one card, assuming, of course, the proper application of pressure to effect inking contact of the stencil and inking roll in the final portion of that reciprocation. The card is then readily removed by tilting upwardly the card carrier to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1, whereupon the printed card is readily removed and a new card installed in its place, whereupon the printing operation is repeated.

When the printing with a given stencil is completed, the stencil 70 is easily removed by simply lifting it from the stencil carrier, for which purpose the flexibility of the stencil to permit release from the retaining flanges 72 is easily effected. A new stencil can rapidly and simply and easily be placed within the device, and a further printing operation with a new stencil can then be carried on.

Inasmuch as the inking roller 53 is preferably of a length less than the transverse spacing of the stencil supporting flanges 68, as best seen in FIG. 3, and, further, inasmuch as the stroke of the device may be regulated so that the end bars of the stencil carrier are positioned out of contact with the inking roller at all times, the device is kept free from the application of ink to working parts thereof and problems of cleaning the device are reduced to a minimum. Cleaning, if required, is easily accomplished, however, inasmuch as the frame is open and access to various parts can be had readily. Furthermore, the device can be completely disassembled by the simple expedient of removing the four screws 32. The inking mechanism itself can easily be cleaned by virtue of its removability by release of the securing screws 46,

whereupon it can be handled as a unit for cleaning purposes. The inking mechanism can easily be disassembled if that is required in cases where the spring and roller housing are formed of detachably mounted parts, as illustrated, held assembled by securing screws 102.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 claim: 1. A stencil printer comprising a frame, an inking mechanism carried by said frame and including an inking roller, a stencil carrier slidable on said frame above said roller, a card holder pivoted to said stencil carrier for positioning a card to be printed in engagement with a stencil in said carrier, and resilient means on said frame normally positioning said stencil carrier spaced from said inking roller and yieldable to engage a stencil in said carrier with said inking roller. 2. A stencil printer comprising a frame, yieldable guide means carried by said frame and having normal and lowered positions,

inking means carried by said frame including an inking roller spaced below the normal position of said guide means,

a stencil carrier slidable on said guide means, and means on said carrier for positioning a sheet to be printed in contact with a stencil in said carrier.

3. A stencil printer comprising a frame,

yieldable guide means carried by said frame and having normal and lowered positions,

inking means carried by said frame including an inking roller spaced below the normal position of said guide means,

a stencil carrier slidable on said guide means, and means on said carrier for positioning a sheet to be printed in contact with a stencil in said carrier,

said inking mechanism including an ink container open at its top and having side walls journaling said inking roller,

the top edge of said container being located at a level below the uppermost part of said roller,

4. A stencil printer comprising a frame,

yield-able guide means carried by said frame and having normal and lowered positions,

inking means carried by said frame including an inking roller spaced below the normal position of said guide means,

a stencil carrier slidable on said guide means,

means on said carrier for positioning a sheet to be printed in contact with a stencil in said carrier,

said inking mechanism including an ink container open at its top and having side walls journaling said inking roller,

the top edge of said container being located at a level below the uppermost part of said roller, and

a spring-urged roller journaled in elongated openings in said container for peripheral engagement with said inking roller,

said spring-urged roller being located below the level of the top of said inking roller.

5. A stencil printer comprising a tfirame,

yieldable guide means carried by said frame and having normal and lowered positions,

linking means carried by said frame including an inking roller spaced below the normal position of said guide means,

a stencil carrier slidable on said guide means,

means on said carrier for positioning a sheet to be printed in contact with a stencil in said carrier,

said inking mechanism including an ink container open at its top and having side walls journaling said inking croller,

the top edge of said container being located at a level below the uppermost part of said roller, and

means for limiting the quantity of ink which adheres to said inking roller.

6. A stencil printer comprising a frame,

yieldable guide means carried by said frame and having normal and lowered positions,

inking means carried by said frame including an inking roller spaced below the normal position of said guide means,

a stencil carrier slidable on said guide means, and means on said carrier for positioning a sheet to be printed in contact with a stencil in said carrier,

said stencil carrier having a central rectangular opening outlined by an inner stencil supporting margin,

said carrier opening receiving a part of said inking roller therethrough to contact a stencil supported on said frame margin.

7. A stencil printer comprising a frame,

yieldable guide means carried by said frame and having normal and lowered positions,

inking means carried by said frame including an inking roller spaced below the normal position of said guide means,

a stencil carrier slidable on said guide means,

means on said carrier for positioning a sheet to be printed in contact with a stencil in said carrier,

said stencil carrier having a central rectangular opening outlined by an inner stencil supporting margin, and

spaced stencil retaining tongues on said carrier spaced above said stencil suporting margin to receive a stencil therebelow with clearance.

8. A stencil printer comprising a frame,

yieldable guide means carried by said frame and having normal and lowered positions,

inking means carried by said frame including an inking roller spaced below the normal position of said guide means,

a stencil carrier slidable on said guide means,

means on said carrier for positioning a sheet to be printed in contact with a stencil in said carrier,

said guide means constituting spaced normally parallel guide bars, and

spring means carried by said frame and urging said bars to normal position.

9. A stencil printer comprising a frame,

yieldable guide means carried by said frame and having normal and lowered positions,

inking means carried by said frame including an inking roller spaced below the normal position of said guide means,

a stencil carrier slidable on said guide means,

means on said carrier [for positioning a sheet to be printed in contact with a stencil in said carrier,

said last named means including a rigid plate pivoted to said stencil carrier and having a resilient bottom pad, and

means for releasably mounting a sheet to be printed in engagement with the bottom face of said pad.

'10. A stencil printer comprising a frame,

yieldable guide means carried by said frame and having normal and lowered positions,

inking means carried by said frame including an inking roller spaced below the normal position of said guide means,

a stencil carrier slidable on said guide means,

means on said carrier for positioning a sheet to be printed in contact with a stencil in said carrier,

said last named means including a rigid plate having a yieldable bottom surface, and

a clip carried by said plate and underlying said yieldable bottom surface at one margin thereof to hold a sheet against said yieldable bottom surface and in engagement with a stencil in said carrier.

11. A stencil printer comprising a frame having a base portion and an upper portion,

an ink well carried by said base,

an inking roller journalled in said Well and projecting therefrom,

a pair of rigid horizontal laterally spaced guide bars, resilient means urging said guide bars to a normal position spaced above the level of said inking roller at the upper portion of said frame,

a stencil,

a rigid stencil carrier marginally supporting said stencil and slid-ably on said guide bars,

a holder for a sheet to be printed mounted on said stencil carrier and adapted to position a sheet in engagement with the upper face of said stencil.

Meissner Oct. 14, 1952 Luppold Dec. 16, 1958 

1. A STENCIL PRINTER COMPRISING A FRAME, AN INKING MECHANISM CARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND INCLUDING AN INKING ROLLER, A STENCIL CARRIER SLIDABLE ON SAID ON SAID FRAME ABOVE SAID ROLLER, A CARD HOLDER PIVOTED TO SAID STENCIL CARRIER FOR POSITIONING A CARD TO BE PRINTED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH A STENCIL IN SAID CARRIER, AND RESILIENT MEANS ON SAID FRAME NORMALLY POSITIONING SAID STENCIL CARRIER SPACED FROM SAID INKING ROLLER 